Seat cover installation.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
From: MAYWOOD MO
Seat cover installation.
My 1971 coupe needs some repairs to the seat frames. I plan to to replace seat covers, foam, and seat backs. What I need to know is whether installation is something that I (a novice) can do myself or whether I should pay a professional. Any opinions?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,115
Likes: 0
From: VA
Originally Posted by nelson71
My 1971 coupe needs some repairs to the seat frames. I plan to to replace seat covers, foam, and seat backs. What I need to know is whether installation is something that I (a novice) can do myself or whether I should pay a professional. Any opinions?
I just had my seats recovered and had a local shop do it. I'm sure I could have done it but I didn't have the time or the patience to do it. If you buy the installation kit when you buy the covers and take your time this is something you should be able to do yourself.
Ron
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,383
Likes: 11
From: Toronto Ontario
Nelson
I have a '71 and did the seats myself.
Bought the seat cover and foam from Willcox.
Also the drivers frame was cracked, so I bought the
kit to fix the frame and added one to the passanger seat too.
Wouldn't want it to break shortly after the installation.
Do it yourself, get the installation kit, hog ring pliers, and some extra hog rings.
After removing the seats, bring them in the house and redo them while watching Speed channel.
It will take about 20 hours of your time, over several evenings.
Also, with a wire coathanger make yourself a tool for pulling the hog rings through the foam.
All instructions are included.
I have a '71 and did the seats myself.
Bought the seat cover and foam from Willcox.
Also the drivers frame was cracked, so I bought the
kit to fix the frame and added one to the passanger seat too.
Wouldn't want it to break shortly after the installation.
Do it yourself, get the installation kit, hog ring pliers, and some extra hog rings.
After removing the seats, bring them in the house and redo them while watching Speed channel.
It will take about 20 hours of your time, over several evenings.
Also, with a wire coathanger make yourself a tool for pulling the hog rings through the foam.
All instructions are included.
Racer
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 401
Likes: 0
From: Carlsbad CA
Totally agree with the three who did it themselves. I didn't use hog ring pliers (couldn't figure out how) but had no problem using regular pliers. I went to a local auto upholstery place and they gave me a handful of extra hog rings for nothing.
I had never done any upholstering before and the seats came out fine-- took awhile, but what doesn't on these cars?
Good luck!
I had never done any upholstering before and the seats came out fine-- took awhile, but what doesn't on these cars?
Good luck!
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 125
Likes: 2
From: Grand Island N.Y.
On A Related Subject
I have had dust from the seats fly around the car so I decided I needed new seat foam. Bought the foam at Carlisle. I took one of the covers off of the seat last week to begin correcting the "dust" problem. I discovered that I didn't need new foam. The dust was coming from foam padding in the seat cover itself. The covers are virtually perfect except for the deteriorating foam. Has anyone encountered this and tried to replace the seat cover foam or should I just break down and spend another couple hundred dollars and get new seat covers? (Not trying to highjack the thread. Just thought someone reading might have an opinion.)
Thanks
Thanks
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
it took us one weekend per seat we took our time and they came out great , i definitely recommend buying hog ring pliers...around here commerecial rates are $100 per seat for labor on vinyl and $150 for leather
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,943
Likes: 3
From: Wildwood IL
Did mine myself too. These two links were helpfull.
http://rowleycorvette.com/corvette_repair2.html
http://www.corvettemagazine.com/2001...s/seatspg1.asp
Eddie
http://rowleycorvette.com/corvette_repair2.html
http://www.corvettemagazine.com/2001...s/seatspg1.asp
Eddie
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 837
Likes: 3
From: Texas
Originally Posted by Brewmeistergi
I have had dust from the seats fly around the car so I decided I needed new seat foam. Bought the foam at Carlisle. I took one of the covers off of the seat last week to begin correcting the "dust" problem. I discovered that I didn't need new foam. The dust was coming from foam padding in the seat cover itself. The covers are virtually perfect except for the deteriorating foam. Has anyone encountered this and tried to replace the seat cover foam or should I just break down and spend another couple hundred dollars and get new seat covers? (Not trying to highjack the thread. Just thought someone reading might have an opinion.)
Thanks
Thanks
Here is a link a friend passed on to me for do it yourself seat covering.
http://www.corvettemagazine.com/2001...s/seatspg1.asp
Racer
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 271
Likes: 0
From: Alpharette GA
I just did the seats in my 71 and it was not that hard. JUST take you time and if you have a digital camera it makes it so much easer. Take good notes and photos as you take them apart and it make the install with the supplied direction so easy to follow.
Good luck
Good luck
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,063
Likes: 1
From: Beverly Massachusetts
just wanted to put in my .02 cents on this thread sense i am also about to recover my seats for the first time also. befor you put the new foam on the fram make sure you hog ring a thick material over the springs so the springs dont cut through the foam over time. just a little tip that i saw on overhaulin. anyways good luck and remember its always fun to do some of the things yourself.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,248
Likes: 48
From: westland mi
Originally Posted by 1971Coupe
Nelson
I have a '71 and did the seats myself.
Bought the seat cover and foam from Willcox.
Also the drivers frame was cracked, so I bought the
kit to fix the frame and added one to the passanger seat too.
Wouldn't want it to break shortly after the installation.
Do it yourself, get the installation kit, hog ring pliers, and some extra hog rings.
After removing the seats, bring them in the house and redo them while watching Speed channel.
It will take about 20 hours of your time, over several evenings.
Also, with a wire coathanger make yourself a tool for pulling the hog rings through the foam.
All instructions are included.
I have a '71 and did the seats myself.
Bought the seat cover and foam from Willcox.
Also the drivers frame was cracked, so I bought the
kit to fix the frame and added one to the passanger seat too.
Wouldn't want it to break shortly after the installation.
Do it yourself, get the installation kit, hog ring pliers, and some extra hog rings.
After removing the seats, bring them in the house and redo them while watching Speed channel.
It will take about 20 hours of your time, over several evenings.
Also, with a wire coathanger make yourself a tool for pulling the hog rings through the foam.
All instructions are included.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,381
Likes: 416
From: N J
Sold my 80 last year, but before I did I saved money and did mine also. Wth a little time and patience they came out very nice and I was real pleased with the results for a novice. A forum member was nice enough to give me the installation tools and when I was finished I passed them on to another forum member.Got my vinyl covers from Wilcox also. They had the lowest price.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 292
Likes: 0
From: Thomasville Ga
I, too, am doing my 71 vert...I've spent a lot of time (after taking off the old covers) repairing the seat frames and sliders they are on. Some 'Bubba' did the last upholstery on my seats...didn't bother to use ANY hog rings or wires...I think he put some adhesive on the foam...slid the covers over it, and hooked them up under the seat frame...
Repairing the seat frame, I think, is crucial...I've spent a lot of time taking the seat apart, sanding the frame, primering it, and spraying two top coats on it. Also, I replaced the little springs that attach to the seat support wires. The other thing I had to do was repair the back bottom of the seats with the repair piece you can buy from all vendors...and, hammer in the bottom frame sides because a lot of the seat 'slump' is because the side of the frame is 'flattened'. I welded a piece inside the bottom frame that will help keep the interior side of the frame verticle. Good luck! BTW I, also, am using Wilcox leather-like and foam.
Repairing the seat frame, I think, is crucial...I've spent a lot of time taking the seat apart, sanding the frame, primering it, and spraying two top coats on it. Also, I replaced the little springs that attach to the seat support wires. The other thing I had to do was repair the back bottom of the seats with the repair piece you can buy from all vendors...and, hammer in the bottom frame sides because a lot of the seat 'slump' is because the side of the frame is 'flattened'. I welded a piece inside the bottom frame that will help keep the interior side of the frame verticle. Good luck! BTW I, also, am using Wilcox leather-like and foam.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
From: MAYWOOD MO
Thanks so much for the advice. I am going to get started on this project so that the car will be ready for cruising this spring. Any ideas on the best prices for seat covers, foam, etc?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,300
Likes: 2
St. Jude Donor '08
Originally Posted by 1971Coupe
Nelson
I have a '71 and did the seats myself.
Bought the seat cover and foam from Willcox.
Also the drivers frame was cracked, so I bought the
kit to fix the frame and added one to the passanger seat too.
Wouldn't want it to break shortly after the installation.
Do it yourself, get the installation kit, hog ring pliers, and some extra hog rings.
After removing the seats, bring them in the house and redo them while watching Speed channel.
It will take about 20 hours of your time, over several evenings.
Also, with a wire coathanger make yourself a tool for pulling the hog rings through the foam.
All instructions are included.
I have a '71 and did the seats myself.
Bought the seat cover and foam from Willcox.
Also the drivers frame was cracked, so I bought the
kit to fix the frame and added one to the passanger seat too.
Wouldn't want it to break shortly after the installation.
Do it yourself, get the installation kit, hog ring pliers, and some extra hog rings.
After removing the seats, bring them in the house and redo them while watching Speed channel.
It will take about 20 hours of your time, over several evenings.
Also, with a wire coathanger make yourself a tool for pulling the hog rings through the foam.
All instructions are included.
Do it yourself. Take your time and they will turm out great.
